nördliches Simplon Gebiet

Snowpack

The last fortnight’s rather low temperatures have meant that conditions have remained wintry in the high Alpine regions. Particularly on steep north-facing slopes above around 3000 m and on all aspects above around 3500 m, the snowpack has largely remained dry with some weak layers also being present. There have been a number of avalanches triggered by human activity in the high Alpine regions, for instance on last Saturday, 17 May 2025. Below around 3000 m, however, the old snowpack was water-saturated and contained hardly any weak layers.

Fresh snow and wind on Thursday will result in snowdrift accumulations, especially in the high Alpine regions. This fresh and drifted snow will be prone to triggering. In some places, avalanches may also start in deep layers of the snowpack.

OutlookFriday

Overnight to Friday, a further 10 to 20 cm of snow will fall on the northern Alpine ridge from the Bernese Oberland to Liechtenstein and in the Prättigau. Otherwise, a few centimetres of snow will fall in widespread areas. In the southern Upper Valais, Ticino and the southern valleys of Grisons it will be mainly dry. The snowfall level will be around 1600 m. There will be some further light snowfall in the northeast during the day. There will be bright spells in the west and conditions will be quite sunny in the south. A northwesterly wind, sometimes still moderate, will continue, especially during the night. There will be hardly any change in the risk of dry avalanches in the high Alpine regions. Where there is sunshine, some mainly small moist avalanches are to be expected in those regions with fresh snow.

Saturday

Overnight to Saturday, conditions will be mostly clear in the west and south, but still partly cloudy in the northeast. Conditions will be sunny at the start of the day and cumulus clouds will develop as the day progresses. With a zero-degree level at around 2300 m, temperatures will remain cool.

The risk of dry avalanches will slowly decrease in the high Alpine regions. Where there is sunshine, moist loose snow avalanches are to be expected from the fresh snow.